Conventionally, vehicular engine control devices are known which include a control unit for controlling a stop of an engine installed on a vehicle when a preset stop condition (for example, a braking operation is made when a vehicle speed is zero) is fulfilled to save fuel, decrease emission, and reduce noise.
As such an example of the vehicular engine control device, Patent Document 1 discloses an idling stop control device. The idling stop control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 operates such that idling stop of the engine is inhibited for a predetermined period when a stop inhibition condition that a steering speed of a steering wheel is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed is fulfilled.
According to the idling stop control device disclosed in Patent Document 1, an assistance force for operating the steering wheel can be secured because the stop of the engine, which relates to a power for assisting the steering operation, is avoided during operation of the steering.